Buckle



(NoModeL) J. P. MOLLOY.

BUCKLE.

No. 528,008. Patnted 0m. 23, 1894.

UNITE STATESPATENT FFICE.'

JAMES F. MOLLOY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,008, dated October 23, 1894.

ApplicationfiledPebrnary l, 1892. Serial No. 419,899- (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MoLLoY, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Conneoticut, have invented a new Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a View in front elevation of a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a similar, rear view thereof;

Fig. 3, a similar, end view of the buckle;

With these ends in View, my invention consists in a buckle having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

As herein shown, the oblong, rectangular clamping-frame has three parallel, horizontal cross-bars, A, A and A about equidistant from each other, ends B B, and a loop or eye 0, depending centrally from the lower crossbar A and forming a locking extension. As represented herein, the said clamping-frame is composed of two members, respectively shown by Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the member shown by the figure first mentioned being formed of wire, and comprising the upper and lower horizontal cross-bars A A forming the upper and lower sides of the frame, the ends B B, and the loop 0, and the member shown by Fig 6 being formed of a strip of sheet metal, the ends a a whereof are bent around the ends B B, before mentioned in vertical planes, while the upper and lower edges of its central portion a are folded rearwardly in horizontal planes to form a tube, which may be said to be locatedat the back of the frame, inasmuch as its open ends are only accessible from that face thereof. Preferably a small band D, is clasped on the loop 0, at the upper end thereof, to prevent the wire from Whichit is formed from spreading.

The lever of myimproved buckle is formed from a singlepiece of wire, and comprises an upper cross-bar E, forming its upper side, a lower cross-bar E forming. its lower side, a hook F depending from the center of the said lower bar E, and forming a locking extension, and bent ends G G which are set inwardly to make the upper cross-bar E, before mentioned, shorter than the lower cross-bar E, the said cross-bars being wider in their separation from each other than the middle and lower cross-bars of the frame. The upper cross-bar E, of the said lever, is inserted into the ends of the tube forming a part of the middle cross-bar A of the frame, the lower end of which, when it is in its closed position,

extends down over the front of the lever.

I may mention here that the loop 0, and the hook F, are relatively constructed and arranged so that the loop will snap over the hook under pressure, and sufficiently spring the buckle to cause the frame to be retained in its closed adjustment, as shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

I provide the lever, on its upper side, with a clamping-edge, consisting, as herein shown, of a metallic plate H, having-its lower edge serrated, and its ends 72. h adapted to be bent around the inwardly bent upper portions of the ends G G, of the lever, as clearly shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings. This plate coincides with the lower cross-bar of the frame when the same is in its closed position, the web being clamped between the said edge and the said bar of the frame. I wish to call particular attention to this feature of my improved buckle, that is, the clamping of the web by the lower cross-bar of the frame. Also by making the upper and lower cross-bars of the lever wider in their separation than the middle and lower cross-bars of the frame, and by swinging the frame by its middle cross-bar from the upper cross-bar of the lever, an opening is formed between the lower cross bar of the frame and the lower cross-bar of the lever, the latter being the lower in position of the two, for the rearward passage of the web, as shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the particular way herein shown and described of constructing the frame of the buckle and the lever, my invention comprehending any form of frame and lever in which the lower cross-bar of the frame is arranged to clamp the web against a clamping edge carried by the lever, and in which an opening is formed between the said lower cross-bar of the frame and the lower cross-bar of the lever for the rearward passage of the web. If desired, I may replace the clamping plate by a clamping-edge which may consist of a wire bar fastened to the upper portion of the lever so as to co-operate with the lower cross-bar of the frame. i

As shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, I employ a clamping plate I, corresponding to the clamping-plate'II before mentioned, but not having its lower edge toothed, and a toothed edge I, which is fastened to the lower crossbar of the frame and projects inwardly therefrom for co-operation with the lower edge of the plate I, in gripping the web. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations therein as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that it is old in suspender buckles, to pivotally attach a frame at a point between its sides, to the upper end of a lever in such a manner as to utilize the lower side of the frame to clamp the webbing, and I do not claim that construction broadly.

Ha ving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described suspender buckle,consisting in the combination with a frame made of a single piece of wire and comprising an upper cross-bar A, ends B B, a lower cross-bar A and a locking-loop 0 depending therefrom; of a strip of sheet-metal forming the middle bar A of the frame, and having its ends bent around the said ends B B thereof in vertical planes, and its edges bent rearward in horizontal planes to form a tube; a lever formed from a single piece of wire and having an upper cross-bar E, a lower cross-bar E, a depending hook F and ends G G, the said bars E and E being wider in their separation from each other than the middle bar A and the lower bar A of the said frame, and the upper cross-bar E of the lever being inserted into the tube formed by the sheet-metal middle cross-bar A of the frame; and a sheet-metal clamping-plate or edge H secured by its ends to the ends G G of the lever, in position to coact with the lower cross-bar A of the frame in gripping the web, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AS. F. MOLLOY.

Witnesses:

ROBERT LYNN, WM. T. SMITH. 

